Select works of Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, and Sandy Denny
Listen on Apple Music! (for subscribers)
1) Sheepcrook and Black Dog - Steeleye Span
Here's me sheep-crook and me black dog,
I give it to you.
Here's me bag and me budget,
I bid it adieu.
Here's me sheep-crook and me black dog,
I leave them behind.
Fine laurel, fine floral,
You've proved all unkind.
(Repeat first verse)
All to my dear Dinah these words I did say,
“Tomorrow we'll be married love, tomorrow is the day.”
“'Tis too soon dear Willy my age is too young,
One day to our wedding is one day too soon.”
“I'll go into service if the day ain't too late,
Oh, to wait on a fine lady it is my intent,
And when into service a year or two bound,
It's then we'll get married and both settle down.”
A little time after a letter was wrote,
For to see if my dear Dinah had changed her mind.
But she wrote that she'd lived such a contrary life,
She said that she'd never be a young shepherd's wife.
(Repeat first verse)
2) The Deserter - Fairport Convention
As I was a-walking along Radcliffe Highway
A recruiting party came a-beating my way
They enlisted me and treated me 'til I did not know
And to the Queen's barracks they forced me to go
When first I deserted, I thought myself free
Until my cruel comrade informed against me
I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed
I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me
Court martial, court martial, they held upon me
And the sentence passed upon me: three-hundred-and-three
May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty
For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me
When next I deserted, I thought myself free
Until my cruel sweetheart informed against me
I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed
I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me
Court martial, court martial then quickly was got
And the sentence passed upon me: that I was to be shot
May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty
For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me
Then up rode Prince Albert in his carriage-and-six
Saying, "Where is that young man whose coffin it is fixed?
Set him free from his irons and let him go free
For he'll make a good soldier for his Queen and country."
3) Sir Patrick Spens - Fairport Convention
The King sits in Dunfirmline town,
Drinking of the blood-red wine
"Where can I get a steely skipper
To sail this mighty boat of mine?"
Then up there spoke a bonny boy,
Sitting at the King's right knee
"Sir Patrick Spens is the very best seaman
That ever sailed upon the sea"
The King has written a broad letter
And sealed it up with his own right hand
Sending word unto Sir Patrick to come to him at his command
"An enemy then this must be
Who told the lie concerning me
For I was never a very good seaman,
Nor ever do intend to be"
"Last night I saw the new moon clear
With the old moon in her hair
And that is a sign since we were born
That means there'll be a deadly storm"
They had not sailed upon the deep a day,
A day but barely free
When loud and boisterous blew the winds
And loud and noisy blew the sea
Then up there came a mermaiden,
A comb and glass all in her hand
"Here's to you my merry young men for you'll not see dry land again"
"Long may my lady stand
With a lantern in her hand
Before she sees my bonny ship
Come sailing homeward to dry land"
Forty miles off Aberdeen,
The waters fifty fathoms deep
There lies good Sir Patrick Spens
With the Scots lords at his feet
4) Crazy Man Michael - Fairport Convention
Within the fire and out upon the sea
Crazy man Michael was walking
He met with a raven with eyes black as coals
And shortly they were a-talking
Your future, your future I would tell to you
Your future you often have asked me
Your true love will die by your own right hand
And crazy man Michael will cursèd be
Michael he ranted and Michael he raved
And beat up the four winds with his fists o
He laughed and he cried, he shouted and he swore
For his mad mind had trapped him with a kiss o
You speak with an evil, you speak with a hate
You speak for the devil that haunts me
For is she not the fairest in all the broad land
Your sorcerer's words are to taunt me
He took out his dagger of fire and of steel
And struck down the raven through the heart o
The bird fluttered long and the sky it did spin
And the cold earth did wonder and startle
O where is the raven that I struck down dead
And here did lie on the ground o
I see that my true love with a wound so red
Where her lover's heart it did pound o
Crazy man Michael he wanders and calls
And talks to the night and the day o
But his eyes they are sane and his speech it is plain
And he longs to be far away o
Michael he whistles the simplest of tunes
And asks of the wild wolves their pardon
For his true love is flown into every flower grown
And he must be keeper of the garden
5) The Blacksmith - Steeleye Span
A blacksmith courted me, nine months and better.
He fairly won my heart, he wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand he looked so clever
And if I were with my love I would live forever.
Oh where has my love gone with his cheeks like roses?
He's gone across the sea, gathering primroses.
I'm afraid the shining sun might burn and scorch his beauty
And if I were with my love I would do my duty.
Lala lalala lalalalala
Strange news has come to town, strange news is carried.
Strange news flies up and down that my love is married.
Oh I wish them both much joy though they don't hear me
And if I were with my love I would do my duty.
Oh what did you promise me when you lay beside me?
You said you'd marry me and not deny me.
If I said I'd marry you it was only to try you
So bring your witness love and I'll not deny you.
Lala lalala lalalalala
Oh witness have I none save God Almighty.
And may He reward you well for the slighting of me.
Her lips grew pale and wan, it made her poor heart tremble,
For to think she had loved one and he'd proved deceitful.
(repeat first verse)
6) Alison Gross - Steeleye Span
Alison Gross that lives in yon tower,
The ugliest witch in the North Country,
Has trysted me one day up to her bower
And many a fair speech she made to me.
She stroked my head and she's combed my hair,
She set me down softly on her knee,
Saying, “If you will be my lover so true
So many good things I would give to you.”
“Away, away, you ugly witch,
Go far away and let me be.
I never will be your lover so true
And wish I were out of your company.”
Chorus (after every other verse):
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
She showed me a mantle of red scarlet
With golden flowers and fringes fine,
Says, “If you will be my lover so true
This goodly gift it shall be thine.”
She showed me a shirt of the softest silk,
Well wrought with pearls about the band,
Saying, “If you will be my lover so true
This goodly gift you shall command.”
She showed me a cup of the good red gold
Well set with jewels so fair to see,
Says, “If you will be my lover so true
This goodly gift I would give to thee.”
“Away, away, you ugly witch,
Go far away and let me be.
I never would kiss your ugly mouth
For all of the gifts that you could give.”
She's turned her right and round about
And thrice she blew on a grass-green horn,
She swore by the moon and the stars up above
That she'd make me rue the day I was born.
Then out she has taken a silver wand,
She's turned her three times round and round.
She's muttered such words till my strength it did fail
And she's turned me into an ugly worm.
7) Poor Will and the Jolly Hangmen - Fairport Convention
Rise for the hangman
His pleasure is that you should rise
He's the judge and the jury
At the jester's assize
Poor Will on the gallows tree
Never a cruel word did say
Oh that a young man
Should be treated this way
Run to me mother of anyone's child
And tell me the revelry planned
Judges and barristers, clerks at the law
His show is the best in the land
Here's a toast to the Jolly Hangman
He'll hang you the best that he can
Here's a toast to the Jolly
No purse for the champion
No true love come over the stile
The debt of a poor man
He'll pay in awhile
Poor ladies, poor gentleman
Born of a sorry degree
Will you laugh for the hangman
When he comes for his fee?
Run to me mother of anyone's child
And tell me the revelry planned
Judges and barristers, clerks at the law
His show is the best in the land
Here's a toast to the Jolly Hangman
He'll hang you the best that he can
Here's a toast to the Jolly
Rise for the hangman
His pleasure is that you should rise
He's the judge and the jury
At the jester's assize
8) Cam Ye O’er Frae France - Steeleye Span
Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye down by Lunnon?
Saw ye Geordie Whelps and his bonny woman?
Were ye at the place ca'd the Kittle Housie?
Saw ye Geordie's grace riding on a goosie?
Geordie he's a man there is little doubt o't;
He's done a' he can, wha can do without it?
Down there came a blade linkin' like my lordie;
He wad drive a trade at the loom o' Geordie.
Though the claith were bad, blythly may we niffer;
Gin we get a wab, it makes little differ.
We hae tint our plaid, bannet, belt and swordie,
Ha's and mailins braid -- but we hae a Geordie!
Jocky's gane to France and Montgomery's lady;
There they'll learn to dance: Madam, are ye ready?
They'll be back belyve belted, brisk and lordly;
Brawly may they thrive to dance a jig wi' Geordie!
Hey for Sandy Don! Hey for Cockolorum!
Hey for Bobbing John and his Highland Quorum!
Mony a sword and lance swings at Highland hurdie;
How they'll skip and dance o'er the bum o' Geordie!
9) It Suits Me Well - Sandy Denny
My name is Jan the gypsy
I travel the land
There are no chains about me
I am me own man
I can tell a fair old story which I'm sure ain't no surprise
Of the places I have been, oh
And they ain't no lies
I've never had a proper home
Not one like yours is
I've nearly always had a caravan
With horses
And I know you won't believe me
Though it is the truth to tell
That the living it is hard, oh
But it suits me well
I am I traveller of the seas
I am a sailor
The ocean has been good to me
She ain't no jailor
I can tell a fair old story which I'm sure ain't no surprise
Of the places I have sailed, oh
And they ain't no lies
I've never had a garden
Or a place with windows
I stand upon the salty deck
And feel the wind blow
And I know you won't believe me
Though it is the truth to tell
That the living it is hard, oh
But it suits me well
My mother was a fire-eater
'Fore she desert us
So when I was only seven years old
I joined the circus
And I can tell a fair old story which I'm sure ain't no surprise
Of the places we have played, oh
And it ain't no lies
I've never had no money
And no hope to get none
I can always get a penny
When there is good reason
And I know you won't believe me
Though it is the truth to tell
That the living it is hard, oh
But it suits me well
10) Polly on the Shore - Fairport Convention
Come all you wild young men and a warning take by me
Never lead your single life astray or into bad company
As I myself have done, being all in the month of May
When I, as pressed by a sea captain, a privateer to trade
To the East Indies we were bound to plunder the raging main
And it's many the brave and a galliant ship we sent to a watery grave
Ah, for Freeport we did steer, our provisions to renew
When we did spy a bold man-of-war sailing three feet to our two
Oh, she fired across our bows, "Heave to and don't refuse
Surrender now unto my command or else your lives you'll lose"
And our decks they were sputtered with blood and the cannons did loudly roar
And broadside and broadside a long time we lay till we could fight no more
And a thousand times I wished myself alone, all alone with me Polly on the shore
She's a tall and a slender girl with a dark and a-rolling eye
And here am I, a-bleeding on the deck and for a sweet saint must die
Farewell, me family and me friends, likewise me Polly too
I'd never have crossed the salt sea wide if I'd have been ruled by you
And a thousand times I saw meself again, all alone with me Polly on the shore
11) Bonny Bunch of Roses - Fairport Convention
By the margin of the ocean, one summer day in the month of June
The feather'd warbling songsters their voices sweetly sang in tune
It was there I met a female all overcome with grief and woe
Conversing with Napoleon on the Bonny Bunch of Roses, O
Then up spoke young Napoleon and he took her by the hand
Saying "Mother dear, be patient, and I soon will take command;
And I'll raise a mighty army, and through tremendous dangers go
And I'll conquer all the universe, and I'll have the Bonny Bunch of Roses, O"
"When first you saw great Bonaparte, you fell upon your bended knee
And asked your father's life of him he granted it most manfully
It was then he took an army, and o'er the frozen Alps did go
Saying, "I'll conquer Moscow and come back for the Bonnie Bunch of Roses, O"
Oh he took a mighty army, princes and dukes were in his train
He was so well provided for, enough to sweep the world for gain;
But when he came to Moscow, all overpowered by sleet and snow
And Moscow was a-blazing, he lost the Bonnie Bunch of Roses, O
Now son, don't speak so venturesome, for England has the heart of oak
And England, Ireland, Scotland, their unity will ne'er be broke;
So remember your father, in Saint Helena he lies low
And you will follow after, beware of the Bonnie Bunch of Roses, O
Adieu, adieu forever, now I bow my youthful head
Had I lived I might have been clever, but now I lie on my dying bed
And as the waters do flow and the weeping willows over me grow
The name of brave Napoleon will enshrine the Bonnie Bunch of Roses, O
12) Fotheringgay - Fairport Convention
How often she has gazed from castle windows all
And watched the daylight passing within her captive wall
With no one to heed her call
The evening hour is fading within the dwindling sun
And in a lonely moment, those embers will be gone
And the last of all the young birds flown
Her days of precious freedom, forfeited long before
To live such fruitless years behind the guarded door
But those days will last no more
Tomorrow, at this hour, she will be far away
Much farther than these islands, for the lonely Fotheringay